Wow those are exactly the places I will be visiting a year from your departure

Anyways I've been doing alot of research, and I'm looking into only getting a pair of very breathable runners and flip flops. I'm a flip flop person and don't mind wet and muddy. But for longer hikes, I found a really cool pair of runners that have alot of mesh around the back sides- very airy and will dry quick.

I've read that hiking boots are big to lug around, and your feet will get super sweaty and smelly- especially in southeast asia, CA and SA. They are heavy and take up alot of space. Thats why I've decided to go the shoe route.

P.s. buy them a month or so in advance of your trip so you can start wearing them in- as previously mentioned blisters can ruin part of your trip!

You definitely want to go to an outdoor outfitter and talk to people who presumably have a bit of knowledge - explain to them the type of hiking you'll be doing, and they should explain the pros/cons of different styles of shoes/boots. You don't need to buy the boots from that store, but it will help educate you as to the differences

Try many many different pairs of boots on, giving each pair a bit of a walk around the store. There will be a pair that 'feels just right'. Even if you think you found the pair, keep trying boots on to compare/contrast. You should know the names of everyone working in the store that day by the time you're done

As others have said, you will need to break the boots in (if you're leaving in September, it might be a bit late)

One other tip - if you find a pair of hiking boots that you really like, wear that pair of boots on the plane for every single trip - while it can take an extra minute or two to take off in the airport, in the event that your luggage is misplaced/delayed/vanishes into the Bermuda Triangle, everything in your luggage can be replaced - a good pair of broken-in boots is a bit tougher to replace